The present invention relates to a filter cartridge for use in aquarium filtration systems. More particularly, this invention relates to a filter cartridge for use in aquarium filtration systems which combines mechanical, biological, and chemical filtration in a single filter cartridge unit. The filter cartridge can have a rigid or semi-rigid back wall.
The present invention finds use as the cleaning or filtering element in various types of aquarium filtration systems. These systems are used to remove different types of debris material from the water of an aquarium used to house fish or other like inhabitants. The present invention is suited for use in the general upkeep of the aquarium by the home hobbyist, by the researcher in a laboratory setting, in pet store aquarium systems, or in similar aquarium uses.
A water filtering system is an essential component in order to maintain fish in an aquarium setting. Filtering is conventionally accomplished by forcing water into the body cavity of a filter unit. The filter cavity is filled with a filtering material which entraps and/or neutralizes the chemical wastes, debris and other particulate matter commonly found in the fish tank water. The water, once cleansed, is allowed to re-enter the main body of the aquarium. Conventional filter units used in the aquarium art include filter systems which are positioned within the aquarium, often in the corner of the fish tank. Additionally a variety of filter systems are known in the art which position the filter cavity outside of the aquarium and clean the aquarium water on the outside of the tank. The inventive filter cartridge of the present application may be adapted for use in either type of filter system or any filter system which requires or allows use of a cartridge type filtering element.
Filtering material generally used in aquarium filtration systems consist of two components. There is usually a coarse granular material, such as charcoal, or activated carbon which is suitable for chemical absorption of fish tank waste. Also, commonly used in combination with the coarse granular material is the mechanical type filtration element. This element is usually a floss type material such as glass wool, or polyester floss, having large interstices which can trap large aquarium debris. In conventional aquarium filtration these filtering elements while used in combination are introduced to the filter cavity in a separate manner. When these materials are wet and dirty with fish tank debris they are difficult to handle without causing a great mess. Particularly, the coarse material sticks to the walls of the filter cavity and is difficult to remove. This causes a great drawback when the filtering material must be replaced with clean material.
To remedy the above-noted drawback it has been known in the art to form a cartridge unit for aquarium filtration with the coarse filtering material on the inside of a pouch or pocket formed from out side walls of floss material. In such cartridge units the outer edge of the floss material side walls of the cartridge are sealed in some manner, such as heat sealing or glue, in order to keep the coarse granular filter material inside the floss material pocket. Often the mended outer edge is provided with a certain degree of rigidness. This facilitates the placement of the filter cartridge into the filter cavity. Often channels are provided in the cavity of a filter for insertion of the filter cartridge. A semi-rigid edge on the cartridge facilitates such placement. The filter cartridge is formed to fit the filter cavity of various types of filters available in the market in such a manner so that the filter cartridge may be placed into the filter cavity to perform a filter function by having all the aquarium water moving through the filter pass through the filter cartridge. Also the filter cartridge should be formed so that it may easily be removed from the filter cavity so that it can be replaced with a clean cartridge.
A third type of filtering element also known in the art is recognized as a biological filter. Such filter elements are generally in the form of a foam or sponge-like material, of small pore size. Unicellular and other microorganisms such as rotifers thrive in the pores of the sponge-like filter material and feed on aquarium debris which is trapped within these pores. This provides an efficient means of cleaning various types of aquarium wastes in a biological fashion. Filter cartridges have recently appeared in the art wherein a mechanical floss type material is directly bonded to a sponge type biological filter material with coarse filtering material placed in the middle. This type of filter cartridge offers a combination of the three types of filtering material. However, due to inferior bonding between the front and back walls problems arise with keeping the coarse material from falling out of the cartridge.